Support for ham cans during double seaming

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a support for supporting ham or similar pear-shaped plastic cans during a double-seaming operation, and includes as a base thereof a standard or conventional metallic ham can body having a double seam at an uppermost end portion thereof, and a like contoured plastic rim snap-secured over the double seam, the rim including an uppermost surface for supporting the plastic ham can by underlyingly engaging a flange thereof, and an outermost surface of an outermost one of a pair of legs of the rim defining a guiding surface for properly positioning the support relative to an associated end unit incident to a seaming operation.

United States Patent Nicholson 1 June 27, 1972 [54] SUPPORT FOR HAM CANS DURING DOUBLE SEAMING [58] FieldofSearch... ..l13/IE,18B,I8C,I8D, 113/23 B, 23 C, 23 D, 23 E, 23 F, 24 E, 24 F, 24 FA, 24 H, 30, 58, 120 AA, 120 V; 220/97 B, 97 C;

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 545,791 9/1895 Gates"; "113/120 'AA 3,556,031 l /197 1 Frankenberg ..113/30 1,468,748 9/1923 .....220/97 C Schuman 690,002 12/1901 Wittebolle ..1 13/23 F 3,299,845 11/1963 Geiger et a1. ..1 13/30 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 476,196 8/1951 Canada ..113/120 AA Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Michael J. Keenan Attorney-Billet, Brown, Ramik & Bolt 57 ABSTRACT This disclosure relates to a support for supporting ham or similar pear-shaped plastic cans during a double-seaming operation, and includes as a base thereof a standard or conventional metallic ham can body having a double seam at an uppermost end portion thereof, and a like contoured plastic rim snap-secured over the double scam, the rim including an uppermost surface for supporting the plastic ham can by underlyingly engaging a flange thereof, and an outermost surface of an outermost one of a pair of legs of the rim defining a guiding surface for properly positioning the support relative to an associated end unit incident to a seaming operation.

15 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures MENU-2mm? 1972 3,672,318

\NVENTOR JOHN B. M\CHOLSOM AWTQQMEYS SUPPORT FOR HAM CANS DURING DOUBLE SEAMING A primary object of this invention is to provide a novel sup port for supporting a plastic ham can or similar cans of generally pear shape or similarly triangularly rounded containers during the double-seaming of metallic end units or closures thereto. A base of the support is defined by a standard metallic ham can body having a double seam at an uppermost open end thereof, the metallic body being rigid enough to take the axial load required for double -seaming yet being flexible enough to collapse in the event of jamming in the seamer to thereby avoid damage to the equipment. Furthermore, by constructing the base from a conventional or standard metallic ham can the support is readily and economically produced, is very portable, easy to manipulate, and is also reusable. In order to provide the requisite accuracy between the plastic ham can, the end unit and the seaming rolls a plastic rim is snap-secured to the upper end of the metallic base and includes an uppermost surface for supporting the plastic ham can by underlying engaging a radially outward directed step thereof, while an outermost peripheral surface of the rim defines a guide surface for properly positioning the support relative to an associatedend unit and the seaming rolls incident to a seaming operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel support of the type heretofore described wherein the rim is of a relatively inverted .l-shaped configuration in transverse crosssection defined by a pair of legs and a bight portion, and a slot between the legs is provided with an enlargement adjacent the bight portion for receiving the double seam of the metallic can body thereby providing thesnap-securement between the rim and the metallic can body.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing. IN THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the novel support of this invention prior to the securement ofthe rim to the standard metallic ham can body, and additionally illustrates a plastic ham can and a metallic end unit which are supported by the rim during a double-seaming operation.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the lefthandmost portion of FIG. I after the components thereof have been united, and illustrates the rim secured to the standard metallic ham can, the plastic ham can being supported upon an uppermost surface of the rim, and the end unit prior to the formation of a double seam.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the support, and illustrates details thereof.

A plastic'ham can or ham can body to which a metallic end unit 11 is to be double-seamed are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The plastic ham can 10 includes a bottom wall 19, a peripheral side wall 12, a radially outwardly directed peripheral shoulder or step 13 (FIG. 2), another short peripheral wall 14 thereabove, and another radially outwardly directed flange 15.

The metallic end unit or closure 11 is of a conventional construction and includes an end panel 16, a downwardly and inwardly directed bead 17, a side wall 18, and a radially outwardly directed flange terminating at an outwardly, downwardly and inwardly directed curl 21.

A novel support for supporting the plastic can 10 and the end unit II is generally designated by the reference numeral 25, and includes as a base thereof a standard or conventional metallic ham can body 26 having a side wall 27 united to a bottom end unit 28 by a conventional double seam 30. An

upper end portion (unnumbered) of the side wall 27 terminates in a reinforcement formed by another double seam 31. When initially fabricated the standard body included an end unit (not shown) similar to the end unit 28 which in part defines the double seam 31. However, in accordance with this invention after the double seam 31 has been made, the central panel of the uppermost end unit is removed by a conventional severing operation to define a free edge 32. Thus, the upper end portion of the base 26 is completely open. The base 26 is, of course, of a size slightly larger than the plastic ham can 10 and is of a comparable configuration, as is best illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

Separate means 33 in the form of a plastic rim constructed from high density linear polyethylene or similar polymeric material is snap-secured to the upper end portion (unnumbered) of the base 26, in the manner best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The rim 33, as viewed from above, is also of a generally pear or rounded triangular shape and includes a pair of legs 34, 35 joined to each other by a bight portion 36. A slot 37 imparts a generally inverted .l-shaped configuration to the rim 33 as viewed in transverse section in FIG. 3. The annular slot 37 terminates at an enlarged upper end portion 38 immediately adjacent the bight portion 36.

An uppermost generally horizontal surface 40 of the rim 33 defines means for supporting the ham can 10 by underlyingly engaging the step 13 thereof, in the manner best illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The longer leg 34 includes an outermost peripheral surface 41 which acts as a guiding surface for properly positioning the support 25 relative to the end unit 11 as well as to the seaming rollers (not shown) during a seaming operation. The surface 41 merges with the surface 40 by means of a generally rounded corner surface 42.

The seaming machine (not shown) with which the support 25 is associated is of a conventional structure. In seaming machines of this type of support 25 is positioned upon a vertically reciprocal platen which is stationary (nonrotatable) during the seaming operation. The platen lifts the support 25, the plastic ham can 10 including the ham (not shown) packaged therein, and the end unit 11 to a seaming head carrying a chuck shaped to the internal configuration of the end unit 11. Seaming rollers are outboard of the curl 21 and suitable cam means move the seaming rollers inwardly to effect a doubleseaming operation during which time the surface 41 of the rim 33 functions as a guide in conjunction with a guide surface (not shown) carried by the turret of the seaming machine. That is, as the support 25 remains stationary during a seaming operation the surface 41 continually engages a guide surface of the turret to maintain proper relationship between those portions of the can body 10 and the end unit 11 around which the seaming rolls rotate.

As was heretofore noted, the body 26 of the mold 25 is sufficiently rigid to take the axial load required during a doubleseaming operation, but because the same is also flexible it can collapse in the event of jamming during a seaming operation, and thereby not damage the machine. Should this occur, it is merely necessary to remove the support 25 from the seaming machine, flex the leg 35 to remove the rim 33 therefrom, and reapply the rim 33 to another body identical to the body 26 by forcing the double seam 31 upwardly into the slot 37 during which time the leg 35 flexes radially inwardly and sub sequently rebounds under its inherent flexure to reunify the rim 33 with another base 26. Due to this collapsible construction of the base 26, equipment damage is not only precluded, but by the very nature of the construction of the base 26 as a conventional metallic ham can the same is readily produced, is easy to handle, and is extremely portable.

While the collapsible nature of the mold 25 is designed primarily to prevent jamming during a seaming operation, it is pointed out at this time that the seaming machine with which the mold 25 is associated includes various stations between the infeed station at which the mold 25 is positioned upon the reciprocal platen and the discharge station from which the mold 25 is discharged from the machine. During the time period between infeed and discharge the platens are continually indexed and at any time that jamming might occur the collapsible nature of the mold 25 heretofore noted prevents damage to the machine.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

lclaim:

l. A support for supporting a container during a seaming operation comprising a body forming a chamber into which a container is adapted to be at least partially inserted, said body having an uppermost edge portion, separate means carried by said uppermost edge portion, said separate means including first means for supporting a container by underlyingly engaging a step thereof, and said separate means further including second means defining a guiding surface for properly positioning the support relative to an associated end unit incident to a seaming operation.

2. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is a standard metallic container body having a reinforcement at said uppermost edge portion.

3. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein said separate means is constructed from polymeric material.

4. The support as defined in claim 2 wherein said reinforcement is a double seam.

5. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein said separate means includes means snap-securing said separate means upon said uppermost edge portion.

6. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein said separate means is of a generally rounded triangular configuration.

7. The support as defined in claim 2 wherein said separate means includes means snap-securing said separate means upon said reinforcement.

8. The support as defined in claim 7 wherein said separate means is of a generally annular configuration having a continuous slot defining a pair of depending legs and a bight portion therebetween.

9. The support as defined in claim 8 wherein a portion of said slot adjacent said bight portion is enlarged relative to a remaining portion of said slot between said legs.

10. The support as defined in claim 8 wherein said first means is defined by an uppermost surface of said bight portion.

11. The support as defined in claim 8 wherein said guiding surface is an outermost surface of an outermost one of said legs.

12. The support as defined in claim 9 wherein said first means is defined by an uppermost surface of said bight portron.

13. The support as defined in claim 9 wherein said guiding surface is an outermost surface of an outermost one of said legs.

14. The support as defined in claim 10 wherein said separate means is of a generally rounded triangular configuratron.

15. The support as defined in claim 11 wherein said separate means is of a generally rounded triangular configuration.

(no m 

1. A support for supporting a container during a seaming operation comprising a body forming a chamber into which a container is adapted to be at least partially inserted, said body having an uppermost edge portion, separate means carried by said uppermost edge portion, said separate means including first means for supporting a container by underlyingly engaging a step thereof, and said separate means further including second means defining a guiding surface for properly positioning the support relative to an associated end unit incident to a seaming operation.
 2. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is a standard metallic container body having a reinforcement at said uppermost edge portion.
 3. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein said separate means is constructed from polymeric material.
 4. The support as defined in claim 2 wherein said reinforcement is a double seam.
 5. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein said separate means includes means snap-securing said separate means upon said uppermost edge portion.
 6. The support as defined in claim 1 wherein said separate means is of a generally rounded triangular configuration.
 7. The support as defined in claim 2 wherein said separate means includes means snap-securing said separate means upon said reinforcement.
 8. The support as defined in claim 7 wherein said separate means is of a generally annular configuration having a continuous slot defining a pair of depending legs and a bight portion therebetween.
 9. The support as defined in claim 8 wherein a portion of said slot adjacent said bight portion is enlarged relative to a remaining portion of said slot between said legs.
 10. The support as defined in claim 8 wherein said first means is defined by an uppermost surface of said bight portion.
 11. The support as defined in claim 8 wherein said guiding surface is an outermost surface of an outermost one of said legs.
 12. The suPport as defined in claim 9 wherein said first means is defined by an uppermost surface of said bight portion.
 13. The support as defined in claim 9 wherein said guiding surface is an outermost surface of an outermost one of said legs.
 14. The support as defined in claim 10 wherein said separate means is of a generally rounded triangular configuration.
 15. The support as defined in claim 11 wherein said separate means is of a generally rounded triangular configuration. 